Every time we buy a faucet in a household store, we hear the same thing: “Do not worry, the lifespan of this faucet is extremely long, it’s durable and the maintenance process is quite easy. You can install it and forget about it.” In most cases this is true, however, no one can predict the future and the unexpected can happen—the faucet can break or need new accessories at any given time. Accidents happen.

So what happens in reality? Well, when people purchase a faucet they pay attention to the quality of coating, shining surface, style, and functionality, like aerators, pullout spray heads, temperature limit stops, motion- or hands-free designs, lead-free or touch-sensitive options, and so on. At the same time, most of us leave unattended the small inner and outer faucet accessories. While these tiny spare parts are most likely to get broken sooner than expected. That is why, it is so important to be aware of the main faucet accessories types and their basic characteristics and requirements.

Cartridges. First of all, let talk about faucet cartridges. Despite what you might think, this is an extremely important detail, which directly influences the faucet’s performance quality. Its main function is water temperature regulation. In the contemporary market there could be found three main cartridge types:

A Plastic Cartridge is the cheapest one and, as a result, gets broken more frequently, which makes the faucet unreliable and inefficient.

A Brass Cartridge refers to the middle class accessories and can serve a sufficiently long period of time.

A Ceramic Disk Cartridge is the best out of all variants. It is extremely durable and performs a perfect water flow and temperature managing function.

It is also necessary to remember that each faucet can be either one-handle or double-handle. Accordingly, the number of cartridges is also one or two.

Faucet Drainers. The draining mechanism that usually goes together with the faucet ensures efficient and economic water usage. It also, at the same time, permits regulation of water flow. Most of the bathroom facet drainers differ according to the material they are made of. As always, plastic parts are the cheapest, then come zinc models, and the most reliable are the brass ones. There are also four different types of drain mechanism:

Rubber Stopper

Lever Stopper

Pop-Up Drain

Turn-Knob Drain

Other important accessories can include gaskets, single and mixing valves, hose kits, vessel faucet extension kits, transformers, and other tiny elements. All of these accessories are valued from their production material. When choosing a new faucet, customers should always remember that the durability of this useful household device directly depends on the quality of its accessories.